When Kennadi first joined City Kids as a sixth grader, she was already the kind of kid who loved being outside. “I knew City Kids was an outdoorsy program, and I thought it was gonna be a whole bunch of camping trips,” she laughed. “But I realized—oh, it’s more than that.”
Seven years later, as a member of City Kids’ Class of 2025, Kennadi returned to Wyoming not as a camper, but as the Assistant Camp Director—helping to run the very program that shaped her.
From Camper to Leader
As Assistant Camp Director, Kennadi helped Camp Director Montae, a 21-year alum, with his duties, ran errands, helped set up activities, and contributed program ideas. But more importantly, she got to see behind the curtain.
“I got to see how hands-on City Kids is—they do everything themselves, all the meetings and planning, and then executing it,” she said. The experience taught her about responsibility, time management, and teamwork—skills she plans to carry into her future career. After cosmetology school, Kennadi aspires to open her own salon.
The Lessons That Last
When asked what she’ll carry forward from City Kids, Kennadi describes a mindset: resourcefulness. “We learn living skills and survival skills. There will always come a time when you don’t have something, and you’ve gotta make it work.”
She also learned to finish what you start. “Even if you don’t like what you started, you never know the outcome—it could be a learning lesson or something you really like.” That mindset helped her through tough moments, such as her Mountaineer year, when she hiked from dawn until 8 p.m., carrying heavy packs. “We were young, we were tired,” she remembered. “But, I was happy to be there, looking at the scenery.”
Still, her favorite memories are the small, joyful ones: singing Beyoncé in the car with her counselors on the way to Yellowstone, horseback rides, quiet day hikes, paddling across calm water, and spotting bison. Together, those moments became the heart of her City Kids experience.
Moving Forward
When it came time to leave Wyoming this past summer, Kennadi was honest about her feelings. “I was really sad, I’m not gonna lie.” She’d miss the counselors, the staff, the ranch, the scenery, Yellowstone.
But, she was also leaving with something invaluable. “I learned to be open to trying new things,” she said. “Now I feel like I’m more open—as a young’n I was like, ‘I’m not doing that.’ Now, if I know it’s safe, I’m gonna do it.”
